HII has completed the structural build of its first ROMULUS 151 unmanned surface vessel (USV) hull, marking a major milestone in autonomous ship production for military forces.
Working with Breaux Brothers Enterprises in New Iberia, Louisiana, the defense contractor completed and successfully flipped the hull.
The operation clears the way for installation of the deck and pilothouse as HII moves ahead with production to meet emerging operational demands.
Four additional ROMULUS 151 hulls are under construction in Louisiana, including three under Breaux Brothers and one at Halimar Shipyard in Morgan City.
“Breaux Brothers’ craftsmanship and shipbuilding expertise, combined with HII’s autonomous technology leadership, are driving ROMULUS production forward at scale,” HII said.
The ROMULUS USV
Powered by HII’s open-architecture Odyssey Advanced Autonomy Solutions, the modular, AI-enabled ROMULUS family is designed to support the US Navy, US Marine Corps, and international allies.
The vessels are intended to handle intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, mine countermeasures, strike operations, and counter-drone defense.
They can also serve as motherships for launching and recovering unmanned aerial and underwater systems.
The ROMULUS 151 measures 151 feet (46 meters) long, reaches speeds exceeding 25 knots (29 miles/46 kilometers per hour), and has a range of approximately 2,500 nautical miles (2,877 miles/4,630 kilometers).
